Dual purposed diagnostic/therapeutic agent having a tri-iodinated benzoyl group linked to a coumarin

Abstract

The invention provides a novel compound having the structure ##STR1## wherein R is alkyl and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently OCH3, H or I and n is 0 or 1 and m is 0 or 1. The compound is useful in a method of treating mammals either therapeutically or imaging mammals for diagnostic purposes. Useful therapeutic areas are in treating lymph nodes and tumors and diagnostic treatment is applicable to lymph nodes, tumors and in blood pool imaging. It is particularly advantageous to link an insoluble carrier molecule with a therapeutic or imaging agent to form the structure above. This makes the conjugate insoluble and thus amenable to forming nanoparticles.

I claim: 
     
       1. A compound having the structure ##STR7## wherein R is alkyl comprising from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  is each independently OCH 3 , H or I   n is 0 or 1; and   m is 0 or 1.   
     
     
       2. The compound of claim 1 wherein; R is CH 3  ;   R 1  is hydrogen;   R 2  is OCH 3  or hydrogen;   R 3  is OCH 3  ; and   R 4  is hydrogen.   
     
     
       3. The compound of claim 1 wherein n is 0. 
     
     
       4. The compound of claim 1 wherein n is 1. 
     
     
       5. A method of diagnosing a mammal, wherein the method comprises administering to the mammal a nanoparticulate formulation comprising the compound of claim 1 and subjecting said mammal to a CT X-ray imaging procedure. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 wherein lymph nodes are imaged. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 5 wherein a tumor is imaged. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 5 wherein the mammal's blood pool is imaged. 
     
     
       9. A nanoparticulate formulation comprising the compound of claim 1. 
     
     
       10. A nanoparticulate formulation comprising the compound of claim 2. 
     
     
       11. A nanoparticulate formulation comprising the compound of claim 3. 
     
     
       12. A nanoparticulate formulation comprising the compound of claim 4. 
     
     
       13. A compound of the structure ##STR8## 
     
     
       14. A compound of the structure ##STR9##